snoring in children Archive - Simply Healthy Sleep - The online-magazine for your perfect sleep experience

Especially in young years, snoring in children might lead to health impairments and to secondary diseases. The brain of children and juveniles is still developing. Due to breathing stops, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to developmental disorders. Is the nasal breathing impaired the sleeping quality will be diminished. Sleep fragmentation, restlessness and disturbance of sleep architecture are the consequences.

Therefore, regeneration of body, mind and soul is disturbed. Daytime sleepiness, irritability and concentration disturbances are the consequences. Under no circumstances, snoring in children should be regarded as being harmless. According to studies, regular snoring in children doubles the risk of developing learning difficulties.

Consequences of snoring in children

Exhaustion: Due to lack of sleep, the children find it hard to concentrate. Often, increased daytime sleepiness occurs.
Hyperactivity: Often, exhaustion is “compensated” with an aggressive attitude and hyperactivity.
Learning difficulties: Due to the occurring concentration disturbances and the daytime sleepiness the scholastic achievements decrease.
Susceptibility for infection: Healthy, restful sleep is important for strengthening the immune system. Lack of sleep increases the risk of falling ill with an infection.
Health disturbances: Besides infections, other health disturbances might arise, too. High blood pressure, altered blood fat levels, insulin resistance, sharp under- or overweight as well as lung diseases. Furthermore, growth disturbances might arise.

So, finding out and treating nightly snoring early might prevent from learning and developmental disorders. Have you already tried inclined sleeping? Seek medical advice, when no improvements are noticeable resp. when noticing any abnormalities.

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Have you ever waken up from a snoring partner? But, parents are astonished when the snoring noise is coming from the children’s room. Snoring is a sleep disturbance – but not only of adults. Almost half of the children snore occasionally. About nine per cent of all children snore every night and about six per cent of all infants make snoring noises. The frequency of snoring increases with age. Other causes of snoring in children:

Often, snoring is triggered by a cold. The parents of a snoring child should closely watch their snoring child. Because, snoring also might be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. Here, short breathing stops occur during sleep. Even if you don’t hear your child snoring at night it still might suffer under snoring resp. under an oxygen deficiency.

Symptoms of an obstructive sleep apnea

breathing through the mouth instead of the nose
severe night sweats
very restless sleep

Causes of snoring in children

Brief illness and allergies: Are children snoring temporarily, a respiratory infection, a blocked nose or an allergy are the most common triggers.
Polyps or enlarged tonsils: Often, benign growths in the nose (polyps) or enlarged tonsils lead to a limited breathing. Most of the time they are surgically removed to open the airways.
Passive smoking: Due to passive smoking, children of smoking parents suffer the risk of snoring during sleep.
Sleep apnea: The obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by nocturnal breathing stops. An obstructive sleep apnea has to be accompanied by a doctor.

The possible consequences of snoring you will find in the next article.

Imagesource: @fotolia